来自世界不同地方的六位学生在美国相遇。他们都是交换学生，到美国大学就读一个学期，学习英语，了解美国文化，同时修专业课程。英语“日常会话” (Everyday Conversations)系列围绕这六位学生在美国的经历展开。这套材料适于中级或中级以上英语水平的学生使用。
以下是他们当中的三个人（Akinyi, Lucía, Jana）谈美国高校入学申请手续。
Akinyi: Hey, I’m so glad you’re here. I need your help.
Lucía: You look really stressed out.
Jana: Yeah, what’s going on?
Akinyi: Well, I have a huge paper due for one of my business classes, plus my cousin wants to apply to college in the U.S., and her family is asking me all about the application process. Even though I went through a similar process not too long ago, I can’t remember everything I was required to do.
Lucía: We can help with that!
Jana: The actual application isn’t so bad. It’s the college essay and standardized tests that are awful!
Lucía: I agree. How about we make a list of all of the steps in the application process for your cousin?
Akinyi: That would be great.
Jana: Take the standardized tests — that would be the SAT and TOEFL for her. Get recommendation letters. Fill out the application form.
Lucía: Oh, don’t forget to mention the Common App. That can save a lot of time.
Jana: Right. Oh, and write the college essay.
Akinyi: And I remember paying all of those application fees too.
Lucía: This is a good list. Ajay wrote a great college essay. Maybe he can help your cousin with that part of the application process?
Akinyi: Yes, that’d be great. And thanks! I wouldn’t have remembered all of this without you.
让我们来学习一些词语（也可阅读英文解释）：
To be stressed out 的意思是因生活、学习或工作中遇到的问题和困难而感到压力重重，很紧张。
对学生而言，a paper，也叫an essay是指课上布置写的一篇文章或论文。例如，I have to write a paper about the water cycle for my science class.（我必须在理工科课上写一篇关于水循环的论文。）
在美国，college 和 university两个词经常交替使用（同指大学或高校）。中学生在毕业以后进入college/university攻读学位。
高校application process ，即高校申请程序或申请过程，包含填写申请表格、写一篇短文、通过标准化考试以及面试等各项步骤。
A college essay， 即入学作文，是高校申请程序中的一项要求。申请人需根据规定写一篇关于自己的短文。
A standardized test ：标准化考试。这种考试难度一致，格式统一，能够对所有考生的成绩作客观评比。SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test，学术能力评估测试)和TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language，英语作为外语考试，即托福)都是标准化考试。美国国内学生申请高校时需要有SAT考试成绩，母语不是英语的学生在申请到美国上大学时需要有TOEFL考试成绩。
The common application或 “Common App” ：通用申请。这是一套标准化的高校入学申请程序，申请人可以利用它申请多所高等院校。
The application fee：申请手续费。
有兴趣听更多英语对话吗？请浏览“英语学习”专题网页。
American English 网站提供可供英语学生和教师免费使用的多种英语资源。American English Facebook网页提供每天更新的英语学习资料。
“日常会话”由美国国务院教育与文化事务局英语语言项目处（Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs）资深项目官员海蒂·豪兰（Heidi Howland）编写。
